Hook



Patented Apr. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HooK Fred Fisher,st'.v Edward, Nebr. Application April 14, 1934, Serial No. '720,616y

1 claim.L (o1. 248-306) This invention relates to an improvement inhooks, and more particularly to `removable impaling hooks for useprinciually in packing houses or meat storage plants or butcher shopswhere Va' heavy sidepieces or quarters of meat are handled for temporarystorage.

The invention has for its principalV object to provide a meat hangerwhich will be convenient in use so that an operator, without assistance,

may readily attach the meat tol the hook or detach it therefrom, gravitybeing depended upon, in part, for maintaining the load in elevatedposition, and hook-releasing means being provided for the hook whichoperates automatically so that the hook will swing downwardly to permitremoval of the load.

The invention includes a movable carrier in combination with theremovable impaling hook. Y

While the invention is shown and described as a meat holder and carrier,it may of course be used for other purposes.

The invention consists of the new and useful construction, combinationand arrangement of parts as described herein and claimed, and asillustrated in the accompanying drawing, it being understood thatchanges may be made in form, size,proportions and minor details ofconstruction, said changes being within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

In the drawing, which shows one embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 isa view in side elevation of the detachable impaling hook and itscarrier, a weighted object engaged by the Vhook being in section.

Figure 2 is a side view of the hook, partly broken away, to clearly showa weighted locking,-

plate. Y

Figure 3 is a side view of parts, showing the position of parts when thehook'swings rearwardly 40 for detaching the'load, and

Figure 4 is a rear view of the parts shown in Figure'2.

Referring now to the drawing for a more par- `ticular description,numeral Il) indicates a normally upright carrier-bar, its lower partbeing provided with a recess or channel II opening on its sides andlower end, its upper end being provided with a flanged wheel I2 adaptedto move on a horizontal track I3, the axial mounting for the wheel beingindicated at IL The hook I5 is provided with a flat rectilineararm-portion IG operating as a latch, and has a tapered end-portion I1operating as an impalingmember. The flat arm of the hook is disposed inthe channel II of the supporting-bar I0, and is pivotally mounted asindicated at I8, this pivot I8 traversing the lower part of thecarrier-bar and the flat arm I6 of the hook, and as described, the hookmay have swinging movements relative to 5 the carrier-bar I Ii totheposition shown in Figure 2 or to the position shown in Figure 3.

Numeral I9 indicates a locking-plate or latch which is disposed in theupper part of the channel I I, said plate being pivotally mounted midway10 between its ends as indicated at 20, said plate being provided at itsfront end with a downwardly projecting lipI 2|. The flat arm I of thehook is provided with a tooth or projection 22, and it will beunderstood that the plate I9 may have a swing- 15 ing movement to causeits projection 2| to engage the projection 22 of the arm I6 to prevent aswinging movement of the hook, the locking-plate and arm I6 at that timebeing disposed as shown in Figures l and 2 of the drawing. 20

It will be noted that the proportions of the locking plate relative toits pivot 20 are such that apart of greater weight is disposed at itsfront end, and therefore saidplate will normally remain in lockedposition relative to the projection l232 wllen said arm I6 is disposedparallel with the In the practice ofthe invention, while the arm I6 issecured in a stationary position in the channel I I engaged by thelocking-plate, as last men- 30 tioned, an operator mounts the load 23,simply by moving it with a downward thrust and irnpaling it upon thehook, in Va well known manner; and it is obvious that the weight of theload 23 on the hook will cause the projection 22 to be 35 pressed rmlyand forwardly against the projection 2I of the locking plate, and theseparts may remain in the positions mentioned, for any required length oftime, the projection 22 being pressed outwardly by the weight of theload 23. 40

Numeral 24 indicates a weight provided with a loop 25. This loop isladapted to engage in a notch 26 which is formed in that end of thelocking-plate opposite to its projection 2|, and after the load 23 hasbeen placed on the hook the weight 24 is disposed with its loop V25engaging in the notch 26 of the locking-plate.

will cause the locking-plate to swing to its position shown in Figure 3of the drawing.

It will be observed that by having a portion of the locking plate orlatch I9 extended an appreciable distance to the rear or back of theshank I6, and with the Weight 24 secured thereto, that the latch I9 isquite free to automatically function when the full load or Weight 23 onthe hook l5 is partially relieved. Furthermore the location of the hookreleasing device 24 and 25 to the rearward of the shank as distinct fromWithin the supporting barl I gives ready accessibility for manuallymanipulating the latch When desired. This facility or accessibilitywould not be obtained if these p-arts of. the construction Were locatedWithin the supporting bar Ill of the hook.

It will thus be seen that the hook will be held in a convenient positionfor impaling the load on adapted for use by reason of the convenienceand facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it willalso be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change andmodication Without departing from the principles and spirit thereof andfor this reason I do not Wish it to be understood as limiting myself tothe precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shownin carrying out my invention in practice except as claimed.

I claim as my invention:-

A suspension hook comprising a supporting bar, a hook member having ashank pivoted in the lower end of, the bar and disposed normally coaxialWithin the bar, a latch pivotally mounted on the bar and having a notchtherein receiving the free end of the shank to hold the same in normalposition and with the hook member in position to receive a load, saidlatch having a portion projecting beyond the bar in a direction oppositethe hook member, and a Weight connected to said projecting portion ofthe latch and biasing the same to a I'releasing position, the loadWeight on the hook member being adapted to bind the latch on the shankand said latch releasing the shank when the Weight of the load on thehook is partially released.

FRED FISHER.

